As is so often the case, I came across a good idea from someone else’s blog and I’m borrowing it. I’ve been in a literary mood these last couple of weeks (more on that later) so when I came across Cyan’s post on the top 50 modern sci-fi novels it spoke to me. Below is that same list, annotated for anyone who cares which ones I’ve read. Before I get to that I just want to talk a bit about the book I’ve just finished.
It is called The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman Written during the latter half of the 18th century in ten volumes, this book offers a unique insight into the human condition (I know it’s a cliche. I don’t give a shit, it’s my blog.) Now, the book never sets out to offer any genuine insight, despite the heavy patronage the author pays to everyone from Socrates to Locke; nor is this insight intentional. What one can glean from the book is the utter timelessness of the human condition. Despite being 250 years old the text shows us an author concerned with the exact same things as an author of today: sex, social mores, politics, family, love etc. The book is at its strongest (for the non-academic reader) when it documents the minutiae of the Shandy clan because the absurdity of their life translates so profoundly into the comings-and-goings of our own lives. Sure, most people who read the book don’t live on an estate or have a loyal servant following them from their own military days; but we do have obsessions, irrational habits, flaws and charms, and lives which transcend time and space.
I just never thought I’d get that sort of insight from a beefy 250 year old satire which ends before its own beginning.
So, the list. The bold ones I’ve read (and with exception own either personally or vicariously through my father), the ones with comments are the ones I felt like commenting on.
1. The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov
3. Dune, Frank Herbert
4. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein
5. A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
6. Neuromancer, William Gibson …Snowcrash is a better novel and tackles a lot of the same ideas.
7. Childhood’s End, Arthur C. Clarke …Stories about humans out in the galaxy are ok. Stories about humanity’s place in the galaxy are better. When you read this make sure to note the post-modernist flourish on the copyright page.
8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
9. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
10. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
11. The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
12. A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
13. The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov …A hint of things to come.
14. Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras
15. Cities in Flight, James Blish
16. The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett
17. Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison
18. Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison
19. The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
20. Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany
21. Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
22. Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card
23. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson
24. The Forever War, Joe Haldeman
25. Gateway, Frederik Pohl
26. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling …Read this but don’t own it. It is what it is, a brilliantly crafted children’s novel.
27. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
28. I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
29. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
30. The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
31. Little, Big, John Crowley
32. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
33. The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick …Haven’t read it YET, but my copy just arrived in the mail and I’m starting it tonight.
34. Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement
35. More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
36. The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith
37. On the Beach, Nevil Shute
38. Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
39. Ringworld, Larry Niven
40. Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys
41. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien …As with Tristram Shandy I believe this book to be unique, and also the most fascinating and touching that I’ve ever read. What can I say, I’m a sucker for pre-modern.
42. Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonnegut
43. Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
44. Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner
45. The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester*
46. Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein
47. Stormbringer, Michael Moorcock
48. The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks
49. Timescape, Gregory Benford
50. To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer*
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